Across the world, there’s a growing interest among the masses to build a career in communication sciences, particularly in speech-language pathology.
Now, early identification and diagnosis of speech, language, and communication-related disorders is vital. Hence, many aspiring speech-language pathologists (SLPs) start their careers at the school level, meaning they cater to school children struggling with said issues.
Children with speech disorders have difficulty making friends at school, according to a study. In the US, the prevalence of such disorders in young children is between 8 and 9 percent. Given this high prevalence of speech disorders, schools are seeing a growing need for SPLs, either full-time or part-time.
This need presents an opportunity for professionals to build their careers as school SLPs. Keep reading to understand how you can build your career as a school SLP.
The Responsibilities of an SLP: Knowing What You’re Getting Into
School SLPs, also referred to as simply speech pathologists or speech therapists, are experts in the field of general communication.
As an SLP in a school setting, you’ll find yourself assessing students who are struggling with different physical as well as cognitive communication issues. The issues in question will mostly be related to speech, language, voice, and fluency of speaking.
If we were to sum up your core roles and responsibilities as a school SLP, they’d be as follows:
- Understand the existing speech problems that your students have
- Boost your students’ speech skills
- Help your students build vocabulary
- Develop their speech fluency
- Encourage and help them develop social communication skills
- Improve their reading comprehension
- Make speech more understandable
- Help students reach their performance standards
- Conduct assessments and collect and analyze data
- Write individualized education plans (IEPs) for students
Academic Qualifications You’ll Need to Become a School SLP
The US BLS has very clear instructions for aspiring school SLPs. To become a speech-language pathologist, a master’s degree is required. Usually, pursuing a master’s in this field will take up to two years of your time. Here, you may also look into online master’s SLP programs if you’re already doing a job after your bachelor’s.
Renowned online speech pathology programs cover most, if not all, of the topics or modules that in-person SLP master’s programs cover. According to Ithaca College, studying speech pathology online will expose you to a wide range of skills needed in the field.
These online programs will not only teach you how to cater to school kids. You can also learn about dealing with adults having speech problems. An online masters SLP program, therefore, can get very extensive, as it should. However, you can still expect to be done with the program in under three years.
Of course, online SLP students do require clinical experiences, since they need to learn to put their skills to use in the real world. Hence, the colleges or universities providing such online programs always offer clinical placements to their SLP students.
Skills You Need to Become a School SLP and Secure Promotions
Apart from academic qualifications, you’ll also need to possess certain skills to become a successful school SLP. Possessing these skills alone won’t do; if you want to grow as an SLP and secure promotions, you need to continuously hone them.
Strong Communication Abilities
As a school SLP, your primary responsibility is to of course help students improve their communication skills. Hence, it’s natural that you yourself become a strong communicator first.
Convey complex information in an understandable way for students, parents, and teachers. You might have to explain a speech therapy plan to a concerned parent or guide a student through a difficult exercise. Your effective communication skills can significantly impact your success as an SLP.
Patience and Empathy
In case you’re wondering, working with children who have speech and language disorders requires a great deal of patience and empathy. Progress among kids will most likely be slow, so it’s essential to be understanding of the challenges your students face.
Showing empathy and patience creates a supportive environment that encourages students to practice and improve their speech and communication skills. This approach benefits your students and sets you apart as a compassionate and dedicated professional, which can help you advance in your career.
Adaptability in Teaching Techniques
Every child you work with will have unique needs and learning styles, which means you’ll need to be adaptable in your teaching techniques. Whether you’re using visual aids, interactive games, or technology-based tools, being able to switch up your methods to suit each student is key.
Adaptability as a school SLP is also essential when collaborating with teachers and other school staff. That’s because you’ll often need to integrate your therapy plans into the broader educational curriculum.
Commitment to Professional Development
To secure promotions and advance your career as a school SLP, ongoing professional development is crucial. Attending workshops, obtaining certifications, and staying current with speech pathology research will enhance your skills.
Schools value professionals who are dedicated to continuous learning, and this commitment can lead to leadership roles and greater career opportunities.
Salary as a School SLP
As a school SLP, you can expect to earn around $42 per hour on average. This hourly pay as an SLP can go up to $62.50 an hour. You need to be aware of such hourly salaries as they might be what you’re seeking if you apply for a part-time role.
On a yearly basis, school SLPs can earn around $86,518 on average. With experience, this yearly pay can cross the $100,000 mark for school SLPs.
School SLP: A Career Worth Pursuing
The monetary returns are of course there, but as a school SLP, you’re also contributing to a noble cause. Helping kids with speech disorders is certainly a mammoth undertaking, and your job can help them deal with these disorders.
As you do so, you’re assisting these school children to grow up and become better communicators. This will help them excel in their future endeavors.
